Power-transmission mechanism.



C. B. KURTZ.

POWER TRANSMISSION MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED MAY-1.1916.

1,223,400. Patented Apr. 24,1917.

' C'YHUSILHKURTZ, OF-LAKEWO0D, OHIO.

rownnfmusmssrorr MECHANISM.

specineatiqn Letters raten.

Patented Apr. 24, 1917.

Y Applicationmedina-191e. semina. 95,341.

@vwmz'tmay concem.' v ne it known that I, CrRUs- B. ,'Kumz, citizen ofthe United States, and a resident of Ohio, have invented a new and ulImprovement in Power-Transmission tion, the principle of the inventionhave contemplated applying that Y in ple, so as to distinguish it fromother ne present invention relates to power nission mechanismparticularly suite for use'in vehicles or in the transmission powerwhere thereis acontinual variaof the load or vin the speeds of thedrivand driven member-s. To gain this end, have made use of a dynamotogive a action and have combined the same di'erential gearing, so thatthe greater of the torque is transmitted through gearing, thusreducingthe size of the dy- 1o required. 4By combining these elements in the flywheel of the engine, a very convenient starting motor is also obtained.othe 'accomplishment of the foregoing and related ends, saidinvention,3then, consists themeans hereinafter/fully described andparticularly pointed out in the claims.

annexed drawing and the following cription set forth in detail certainmech- -nism embodying the invention, such disosed means constituting,however, but one i various mechanical forms in which the c" le of theinvention may be used.

d annexed drawings 1, is a section through my imveol transmissionmechanism showing the :s in their operative relation; Fig. 2, is aanimatie sketch of the gearing; and wiring diagram.

invention consists, briefly stated, in tive dynamo electric members,suiteonneeted by dilerential mechanism against areaetion member, the

b ng connected to the driven shaft g" held from rotating when the in isused to start the engine. In device, I show a housing 1 which .bed to acrank'case 2 of an autogine and will extend rearwardly the clutch,dynamo, and the transcase, thus forming the usual transunit. To thecrank shaft 3 of `the ne (not shown) I preferably bolt a fly Lakewood,county of Cuyahoga, and

ism, of which the following is a.

erein explained and the best mode in -iwheel member which has anextending por-- tion 5 with hand hole openings, 6. This fly -wheelmember has ball'bearlngs attached .thereto which carry a Heating shaft8. In

this fly wheel mem r I preferably mount a vdynamo electric member in theform of a field coil Q, and to the rear end of the fly wheel an lnternalgear 11 is attached. .A

second and cooperative dynamo electric member in the form of an armatureis mounted on the floating shaft .8 so as to be freely rotatable, andthis armature has at its rear end a small spur gear 12 which is alinedwith the internal gear on the Hy Wheel member. It will be seen that thearmature is vcompletely inclosed by the fly wheel member but the usualhand holes allow the armature, commutator and brushes to be inspected.

The driven shaft 13 which is carried in a bearing 14 in the transmissioncase 25 which 1s of the usual three speed selective type, has

mounted Vat the forward end, anannular e fly wheelhousing and also withthe spur gear carried by the armaears are meshed with'the4 ture of thedynamo. The flange bearing the stub shafts 16 serves as a reactionmember during .the starting action, when it is held from rotation in themanner presently to be explained.

The armature has a commutator 18 mounted thereon which is insulated fromthe armature proper, and brush holders 19 are carried upon the fly wheelhousing, but insulated therefrom so as to allow the brushes 20 to makean electrical Contact with the commutator. Upon the fly wheel member 4,there are mounted slip rings SR1, SR2, SRS, which are contacted by theusual brushes (not shown). These rings, three in number, will beelectrically connected to the field, the armature and to the return wireor ground. The fourth ring would be used only when the dynamo is used tocharge the battery. By referring to the wirln diagram, the connectionswill be readi y apparent. A

The switch as shown in the diagram, is in the open position indicatingthat the engine is not running. When the dynamo is to be used as astarting motor the switch will be closed through the contact S. In thisposition, the circuit will be made from the battery, through theswiteharm, and the contact S to the contact segment A, the armature andthe series field of the dynamo and thence back to the battery throughthe return wire S3.` This closes the dynamo circuit and causes thedynamo to operate asa motor. To accomplish the cranking operation, it isnecessary to hold the annular flange from rotating, in which case thearmature revolving will cause the field and the fly wheel of the engineto revolve, in the opposite direction, the speeds being dependent uponthe value of the gear train.

When using the engine to drive the car, the switch will be movedcounter-clockwise, which will first close the exciting circuit throughthe end B of the switch arm contact segments C and D, connection S1, andback through the return or ground wire S3. This builds up the field andthen further movement of the switch makes a closed circuit through thearmature and series field, contact segment A and the resistance R. Byfurther movement of the switch arm the resistance R can slowly be takenout of this circuit.

Having started the engine, to rotate the driven shaft the switch memberwill be moved to the position above stated including the resistance R inthe armature circuit. At this time the generator field will berevolving, carrying the internal gear therewith, which in turn willrotate the gears carried on the stub shafts and thus rotating the smallspur gear connected to the armature. Then if the car is in gear, thedifference in speed between the armature and eld will create a currentthrough the closed armature circuit and there will be a drag which willlreduce the relative speed of the two electric elements. As this takesplace the stub shafts will revolve carrying the annular flange and thusrotating the driven member.

As a current is generated in the armature, it tends to revolve with theeld and this reduces the revolution of the gears until the driven shaftis revolving at substantially the same speed as the field, at whichpoint the gear train would be locked and would revolve as a whole withthe internal gear as will be readily understood. While this pointl willnever be reached the slip or the diderence in speed between the fieldand armature will be small, and will be only enough to generate sucientcurrent to cause the necessary drag to make the device act as a clutch.

In the present device, the value of the gear train is three to one whichmeans that the armature will revolve three times as fast as the fieldbut in the opposite direction which means an actual 4 to l reduction. Asthe stub shafts transmit the torque at no time can there be more thanthe torque transmitted through the electrical unit, that is the armatureand the small spur gear. In

this way it has been found possible to use an electrical unit of onlyone fourth the size required, were all the torque transmitted throughthe electrical clutch action, and yet all the advantages of electricaltransmission are retained. There is no jar or grabbing as in the usualforms of mechanical clutch and if more torque is needed, the slipbetween the armature and field automatically increases until the currentincrease is sufficient. It will be seenthat the present device is reallyan electric starter and a clutch and yet the torque is to a large extenttransmitted through the gears. A great saving in weight is obtainedalong with the advantages of the smooth electrical clutch action, anduse can be made of a very small high speed electrical unit. In thisconnection, it will be readily apparent that a gear train of any desiredvalue may be used depending on the torque to be transmitted and a geartrain having a value of 4 to 1, or one of 5 or 6 to 1 can besubstituted. As the final drive is substantially a direct drive, thegear train can be made of any value found most suitable.

Other modes of applying the principle of my invention may be employedinstead of the one explained, change being made as regards the mechanismherein disclosed, provided the means stated by any of the followingclaims or the equivalent of such stated means be employed.

I therefore particularly point out and distinctly claim as myinvcntion:-

1. The combination with a main driving member and a driven member, oftwo cooperative dynamo electric elements, one of said electric elementsbeing connected to said driving member, and differential mechanismconnecting said two dynamo elements with said driven member.

2. The combination with a main driving member and a driven member, oftwo cooperative dynamo electric elements, one of said electric elementsbeing connected to said driving members, the other of said electricelements being freely rotatable and planetary gearing connecting saidtwo dynamo electric elements with said driven member.

3. The combination with a main driving member and a driven member of twocooperative dynamo electric elements, one of said electric elementsbeing connected to said driving member, the other of said electricelements being freely rotatable; said two electric elements beingadapted to act as a clutch, and planetary gearing connecting said twoelements with said driven member, the slip between said two dynamoelectric elements determining the speed ratio between the drivingmembers.

4. The combination with a main driving member and a driven member, of adynamo field element carried b y said driving member; a freely rotatablecooperative dynamo armature element, and` differential.meclianismoperatively Connecting said two eleetric elements with said drivenmember.

5. The combination with a main driving member and a driven member, of adynamo field member carried by said driving member; a freely rotatablecooperative dynamo armature element and planetary gearing operativelyconnecting said two electric elements with said driven member, saidmechanism consisting of an internal gear connected to said dynamo ieldelement, gears carried by said driven member and in mesh with saidinternal gear, and a gear carried by said armature element and meshA ingwith said gears carried by said driven member,

6. The combination with a main driving member and a driven member, of adynamo field element carried by said driving mem ber; a freely rotatablecooperating dynamo armature element and planetary gearing op erativelyconnecting said two electric elements with said driven member, said.gearing consisting of an internal gear connected to said dynamo fieldelement, a flange on said driven member,.stub shafts mounted in saidflange and carrying gears meshing with said internal gear and a gearcarried by said armature element and meshing with said gears on saidstub shafts, said planetary gearing being adapted to drive said drivenmember from said driving member at variable speeds, tlie speed ratio ofthe driving and driven members depending on the slip between said dynamofield element and said dynamo armature.

Signed by me, this 21st day of April 1910..

CYRUS B. KURTZ. Attested by- H. B. FAY, THOMAS H. FAY.

